22 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1924 



tion of a short period in the spring when the plant was shut down 

 for repairs which permitted of greater efficiency of operation. 



Fire protection. — The Museum fire-fighting equipment was given 

 the customary regular inspections and tests, and it is hoped that all 

 deficiencies will be remedied shortly. The open-circuit fire alarm 

 system in the older buildings, which was the best obtainable when 

 installed, will be replaced as soon as means are available by a closed- 

 circuit system similar to that installed in the Freer Gallery. 



Congress has provided for additional fire protection for the Smith- 

 sonian and Museum Buildings by an item in the executive and inde- 

 pendent offices act approved June 7, 1924, and arrangements have 

 been made with Commissioners of the District of Columbia to 

 install the additional modern fire hydrants in the Smithsonian Park. 



Furniture. — The Museum, in connection with the transfer of the 

 Government collection of coins and medals from the Philadelphia 

 Mint, acquired the exhibition cases in which the collection had been 

 displayed. There the collection occupied a skylighted, octagonal 

 room, with four doors in opposite walls.- Between the doors were 

 four wall cases of three sections each, built to fit the angular spaces, 

 and in the center of the room was another specially constructed 

 case — a double-faced polygon of 14 units, access to the interior fronts 

 of which was had through the space which would have formed a 

 fifteenth unit had the polygonal construction been completed. The 

 Museum had no available space corresponding in any degree to the 

 octagonal room, but a very satisfactory installation was made in the 

 west north range of the Arts and Industries Building. The polygo- 

 nal case was set up in the center of the hall, and the four wall cases 

 were so installed as to divide the north side of the hall into two 

 large bays. The dismantling of these highly finished, many angled 

 cases in Philadelphia and their reconstruction in the Museum re- 

 quired patience and skill and reflect great credit upon- the Museum 

 cabinetmakers and their associates in this undertaking. 



Thirteen exhibition cases and bases and 119 pieces of storage and 

 laboratory furniture were constructed in the Museum workshops 

 during the year. In addition, 10 items of storage, laboratory, office, 

 and other furniture were procured by contract. At the close of the 

 year there were on hand 3,702 exhibition cases and 11,872 pieces of 

 storage, laboratory, office, and other furniture; also 49,530 wooden 

 unit drawers, 4,712 metal unit drawers, 1,047 wooden unit boxes, 224 

 wooden double-unit boxes, 12,444 standard insect drawers, 752 wing 

 frames, 5,885 special drawers with paper bottoms, and 11,964 special 

 drawers with compo bottoms for mammal and bird storage cases. 



MEETINGS AND RECEPTIONS 



The Museum is prevented by its limited maintenance funds from 

 providing, as it would like, public lectures and addresses on the va- 



